In The Land Of Treachery
by LiveWild
Summary: She had been in Gotham during the horror of the Joker. 8 years later, the terror of Bane begins. All Caroline did was try to make a change. She never imagined her act of heroism would back fire. Hurt/Comfort, eventually Romance. Bane/Oc
1. Chapter 1: Trial

**Chapter 1: Trial.**

**In The Land Of Treachery**

** By: LiveWild**

**Hope you'll enjoy! Review if you do:)**

**Disclamier: Don't own anything but Caroline and the story line.**

**Rating: M due to content, language, and sexual content at times.**

**Featured song: "Hallelujah." By Jeff Buckley**

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The exhausted woman couldn't help but curl her defenseless hands in to raging fists as she stood with a blank expression on her facial features. Her calves ached as she attempted to straighten her posture and lift her chin up high. She wouldn't dare show the slightest amount of weakness.

Her long fingernails pressed deeply against her palms, creating an overwhelming discomfort to zap through her entire body. It suddenly felt like her high pony tail was sturdily squeezing her skull; her vision was interrupted by an unexpected blur.

While concentrating on her heavy breathing, the young woman couldn't help but notice the tight feeling of her moist clothes sticking to her skin like glue, the sensation made her shiver undetectably.

It was drizzling outside.

The never ending sea of people that huddled a couple of feet around her made it difficult to concentrate, their roaring shouts and threats made her shift her weight on to one hip. The vexed crowd would repeatedly lunge forward with their claw like hands, reaching desperately forward before stepping back to their normal position. They wanted nothing more than to simply grab the woman and make her pay for their suffering.

No, the woman before them wasn't filthy rich but she did live in a more luscious part of Gotham, it made their bloods boil knowing what a glamours life she lived while the rest of them lived in the hazardous streets and in beat down apartments that even a rat wouldn't spend a night in. But, her life style wasn't the only reason why she was forced to stand before the court that day.

She was like a caged animal and this was the zoo.

She strongly believed she did absolutely nothing wrong yet there she was, at Gotham City Hall.

The deafening sound of the hefty gavel being slammed down aggressively made the woman's heart sped up with overcoming suspense. The crowd halted immediately, only then the woman could manage to hear that the calm rain outside had turned into a furious storm. The ferocious rain sounded like bullets as it assaulted the walls upon landing on it.

The deadly trial was about to begin.

"Caroline Mae Dollas," The man known as Jonathan Cane spoke clearly as he leaned lazily back into his chair while he rested his arms on the dusty wooden desk, "you are Caroline Mae Dollas, aren't you?"

Caroline thickly swallowed the saliva that circled her dry mouth, she gruesomely despised her true name, not even the woman who gave birth to her called her by her full name. She looked up at the fatal judge with narrowed eyes. The flirty, large desk that he claimed as his baleful throne was infested with papers that hung down to the ground like dead branches on a sickening tree.

Jonathan oddly titled his head at her with a wicked smile, he was queerly excited to show her how much he knew about her; no one lived in Gotham without _someone_ knowing everything about them.

Crane cleared his throat, "Caroline Mae Dollas, 24 years of age, track star in high school, only child of policeman Bobby Dollas and jobless, addict Anya Richardson. My, my, what a family."

Caroline angrily squinted her eyes to tiny slits at his unnecessary choice of words, her forehead wrinkled as she did so. Caroline knew about him as well, Crane was a psychopath that had an overly obsession with various drugs which he used on people to frighten and manipulate, Scarecrow was his nickname.

Who knew he would retire from that job and become a _judge_.

Enjoying the awakening fire in her dark eyes, he continued thrillingly, "It says right here," he delicately touched the corner of his crocked glasses as he read the paper that laid flat out in front of him, "that you have been accused of attempting to help the police escape from their imprisonment in the sewers. Oh...how foolish."

The woman sighed soundlessly, her chest dramatically dropped as it supplied her lungs with precious oxygen.

The ravaging city of Gotham was experiencing hell all over again, the very core of its soul was being burned alive. The broken city had transformed into a dark place under the merciful control of Bane. The sadistically evil terrorist had corrupted it, releasing every type of criminal loose, that were once put behind bars from the Dent act, into the innocent streets while personally giving them permission to do as they pleased. One couldn't walk down the street without holding a gun clenched to their chests. Cases of rape, murder, harassment, break in and vandalism exploded through the roof. With the cops powerlessly trapped in the disgusting sewers, thee entire population was at risk.

Caroline was one of those unsolved cases. A couple of days after the hellish prisoners were set free, she was unfortunately a victim of rape. All she could remember was that she planned on walking the three blocks to the supermarket to get food when she was attacked from behind. The man dragged her to an alley and did what he wanted. She horridly screamed and cried for help but it all went in vain, no one helped her.

And that's what influenced Caroline to do what she did, she tried to save the police and bring back some sort of justice. All she wanted to do was make a change.

She knew the untouchable man behind Gotham's chaos was in the courtroom, somewhere. She had previously scanned the room, trying to seek him out but it ended in failure. She couldn't see him but she had been informed by many that he stayed back and watched the trials happen. Caroline had heard taunting stories about him, how he had the strength and ability to crack a man's neck with just one hand.

Crane's tiresome voice swiftly snapped her from her haunting thoughts, "You may speak now."

Caroline opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. Planting her hands against her thighs, the courtroom watched as she took an uneasy step, advancing forward.

She tapped the solid ground with the tip of her combat boot, "I helped the police because I needed to, my father is one of the policemen that are trapped down there." Her girlish voice made her effort of sounding tough abnormal.

"How cute, a daughter wants to help her poor father out but ends up getting caught. Is your life really worth his?"

"Of course it is. If I had a chance to, I would have done it all over again."

"Yeah, well," Jonathan shrugged his shoulders playfully, "looks like you made the wrong choice."

Crane yawned with a roll of his neck, "Tell me, Miss Dollas, how did you get caught?"

Recalling his question, Caroline bit her fleshy lip, "The only reason I got caught was because one of Bane's men forgot his gun on top of one of the sewage drains I was planning to pull my father and the rest of the police out from. When he came back he not only found his gun but me as well." She admitted with a hint of pride.

For someone to be able to get as close as a yard to the sewers without a bullet in their head was unheard of, let alone get right next to it but Caroline did it.

The judge looked at the people with his hands awkwardly lifted in the air, "This woman," he pointed his stubbly finger balmily at her, "has willingly helped the people we are trying to treat a lesson to. Instead of helping us, Miss Dollas has chosen to go against us. This crime shall not go unpunished!"

The disturbing man smiled to himself, "Death or exile?"

The thunderous courtroom arouse from the dead as they began shouting their answers: _Death. Death. _

Caroline blinked rapidly at the sound, "Yes I helped my father, the man who loved and cared for me, try to escape but why wouldn't I? He did nothing wrong, non of _us_ have done anything wrong!" Caroline yelling got mixed with the rest of the voices.

Crane viciously began beating the gavel, creating silence once again.

"Us?"

"The people of Gotham. All of this is wrong, you have no right to do this!"

"I say you deserve exile, I'm sure you'll give all of us the pleasure of watching you run across the ice." He humorously laughed to himself.

"Fuck you!"

"Such bitter words, death it is!" He hit the gavel, concluding her cherished faith.

Everyone shouted with exhilarated agreement.

Caroline's pupils dilated as she stepped carefully backwards in retreat.

_No, no, God no!_

A man heavy equipped with guns approached her like a hungry predator to a wounded prey.

"No." she pitifully begged to the dark skinned man. Her head was spinning.

A large crack of bone-chilling thunder echoed across the room from outside. Caroline's ghostly face turned a shade of pale, as pale as the bright light let off by the lightning.

"Stop, stop, please. Wait, I'll do it!" Caroline announced as she looked at Jonathan with watery eyes, "give me the gun and I'll do it myself." Her lower lip successfully quivered as she realized what she truly said.

Unknown to Caroline, her dreadful order was heard by _everyone_.

The skinny, dark skinned man shockingly paused as he spun around on his heels to eye Crane who looked as equally confused.

The bold woman instinctively opened her cracked lips as her drastic breathing got intense, she closed her vibrating eyes as she spoke with a shaky voice, "I rather die by my hand than yours."

The drumming sound of thunder wasn't the only thing that shook the city hall that day. Ponderous footsteps mimicked Caroline's heart beat as it got closer and closer behind her. A long piece of hair secretly untangled its self from her hair tie and fell down the length of her nose, Caroline witnessed the dark skinned man loosened the strangling grip he had on his large gun. The petite muscles in his shoulder lowered down as they relaxed.

As the armed man settled down, Caroline did the opposite and started to tremble softly.

"Is that so, my dear?" The deep rumbling voice questioned her.

Crane shifted in his chair with bewilderment. Bane continued to walk till he fully faced Caroline's hunched back. She was surely done for, an unpleasent image of him snapping necks flashed in her startled mind.

Under her breath, she prayed.

She felt him behind her, his burning body heat radiated onto her, warming her body up.

She was afraid, he could sense it pouring off of her. Her arms would twitch in an unscheduled pattern, her fingers flexed out completely as she nervously pulled down at her buttoned, red trench coat.

Caroline was quite small, compared to him, not only her height but thickness. Her head barely reached past his board chest. She wasn't skinny nor was she considered fat, her thighs were meaty and toned and her lengthy arms were well built due to numerous years of hourly training for track throughout middle and high school.

Caroline ventured to inhale speedily but instead she accidentally gasped out loud.

The court curiously watched with open eyes at the event before them.

Bane loosely held onto his ink black bulletproof vest with his powerful, giant hands, every breath he took created a metallic hissing sound to pierce her sensitive ears, "You don't fear death yet," he processed to walk in front of Caroline with his devilish eyes locked on her, "you appear to not fancy my presence."

Bane was a walking, talking giant.

Even with his long coat and rock hard vest, she could tell he was well built underneath, his muscles seemed to stand out like the craters on the moon.

Caroline childishly refused to look up at him, instead she set her gaze on his vest which was at eye level. Her nostrils expanded, he smelled like gun powder.

Bane could already sense what her weakness was: she was as readable as an open book.

_How interesting_.

Finally building up the courage, Caroline looked up at the beast. When she looked at his eyes, she found him already staring right back.

The look of death.

His eyes were like a pure white shirt that had been washed with the dark colors a hundred times to many, they were like two sliver oysters, a gray storm cloud thriving to be unleashed. The creepy sliver mask that covered his mouth and wrapped around his head sent a icy shiver ran down her spine.

"You have no authority here?" Crane spoke uneasily to Bane as he placed his spread out hands on the table. Regardless of the situation, Bane never got involved with the judgment trials, so why was he now?

Caroline wished he'd disappear from her sight, the unusual hatred she felt for Bane was unhealthy. He was responsible for everything that was happening in the city, he was the reason why her father was trapped in the sewer with a slim chance of surviving, he was the reason why she got kicked out of her home and stripped of everything she owned, he was the reason why criminals were out on the loose, he was the reason why she was rapped, he was the ultimate reason why Gotham didn't feel like home anymore.

Giving Caroline one last look, Bane spoke, the veins rising from his neck, "Today this girl mastered a plan to sneak past my men to save her father and was caught only due to a minor mistake," Caroline was paralyzed with fear, "today this girl asked to be given a gun to shoot herself," he raised one of his hands as his thumb and pointing finger pinched each other, his petrifying robotic voice raddled her, Bane turned half his body to Crane who awaited an answer, "and today, I _have _authority."

As no one exchanged a word, Bane broke the tranquility as he looked over to the dark skinned man, "Take her to my bike."

"W-what?" Caroline's lack of control caused her to stutter embrassingly, the armed man roughly hooked on to her wrist, pulling her against her will, "what are you doing!"

Caroline quickly tried to pull away by kicking un-tamingly but it only made the unknown man grab her other wrist harder.

"You wish to die, I can not give you that satisfaction." Bane stated to her plainly.

The last thing she remembered before existing the city hall was Bane brightly speaking to the crowd of demented people.

"Do not worry people of Gotham, the girl _will_ die, in time."


	2. Chapter 2: Taken by the Devil

**Chapter 2: Taken by the Devil.**

**In The Land Of Treachery **

**By: LiveWild**

**Wow! I'm shocked, thank you so much to the 6 reviewers, 17 followers and 4 favorites on this story! Let's keep them coming :) I'm so happy you guys are enjoying it:D**

**Disclamier: Don't own anything but Caroline and the story line.**

**Rating: M due to content, language, and sexual content at times.**

** Featured song: "Dance with the devil." By Breaking Benjamin **

* * *

The massive, vivacious clouds ominously huddled tightly together. It covered the once heating sun with its various dark curves, mocking the shadowing sky that held them there. Caroline worryingly hugged herself, trying to reduce the up rising fear that dwelled within her, her motionless eyes monitored the stormy world above her. The torturing sight that was presented before her was difficult to look away from without capturing every crucial detail.

The extreme rain had lucky stopped moments before she was dragged outside, the careless solider that man-handled her forced her to step through messy puddles on their short journey to Bane's motorcycle; her socks were soaked. Once she was beside the bike, the dark skinned man gingerly stepped a couple of feet away from her, giving her space as he disabled the safety and aimed his pistol at her, his finger aching to pull the trigger.

Caroline sighed in distress, alarming the armed man of her irritation about the gun that was locked on her, "If you're gonna kill me, I suggest doing it now, the cold is making my whole body numb. I'll drop dead without even knowing it."

"Shut up you dumb bitch, you'll get what's coming to ya." He nervously hissed as he re-griped his weapon.

Caroline was startled by the small man's improper response.

The invisible wind made itself known as it swept Caroline's ponytail and the loose pieces of hair that was scattered around her head. Her red, runny nose and exposed ears felt numb. As she stood, she hid her hands in to the depths of her coat pockets. Distracted by the howling sounds of the wild wind, Caroline's teeth started to chatter from the cold that stroked her from every direction, she lifted her shoulders up in hopes of shielding herself from the cold.

_Jesus Christ._

She should have made a run for it as soon as the man released her, she should have ran far from the city hall but the gun in the soldier's hands convinced her other wise. Caroline was shamefully defenseless.

As soon as the woman's wondering eyes looked away from the building of the city hall, she spotted coal black smoke coming from far within the city of Gotham. It slowly swam past the skyscrapers, feeding the vulnerable sky with its deadly sins.

Gotham was dying.

Caroline regrettably heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps, it felt like an after shock from an earthquake. Nibbling at her bottom lip from habit, she turned her head so her chin nested on her shoulder.

From a good distance away, she saw Bane was approaching.

Gathering the little amount of strength she had, she acknowledged her surroundings before rotating her head back around and away from the monster.

She had a feeling she would die by the bloody hands of Bane, maybe he brought her out here to have the pleasure of killing her himself. Maybe he'd shot her painlessly in the head or maybe he'll torture her first. Whatever the outcome was, Caroline hopped it would be fast, she didn't want to suffer despite what she did. Her father meant everything to her; at least she would die knowing she did everything she could to save him.

When Bane finally reached her and the solider, he questionably looked at the pistol that the man held vividly in the air.

"I'm making sure she doesn't go anywhere, sir." The man happily explained himself.

The world felt as if it was going in slow motion.

"That won't be necessary." Bane spoke deeply as he placed one of his hands on top of the small weapon, lowering it down. The nodding solider followed his movement.

The hefty breathing that escaped from Bane's mask caught Caroline's full attention. The young woman stepped back a bit as she watched the solider obey Bane without hesitation. Understanding that his job was complete, the dark skinned man soon made his exist.

Avoiding the suffocating silence that was expose around them, she rapidly flickered her long eyelashes as she unconfidently asked, "Are you going to rape me?"

The dominant monster looked down at her with his emotionless expression, "No."

His faultless eyes were the gates of _hell_.

"Then what do you want from me!"

"To learn." He exhaled breathlessly.

"Learn?"

He didn't say a word back, it was obvious to Caroline he wasn't going to answer back nor explain this plan any further.

Bane effortlessly threw his tree trunk like leg over the motorcycle as he straddled it; the bike lowered down slightly from his impressive weight. What confused Caroline was that he left a good amount space in front of him.

"You told them I was going to die." She optimistically spoke while cautiously eyeing the bike. There was no way she was getting on that thing.

The corners of his captivating eyes noticeably wrinkled up, was he smiling?

"Yes, but not by my hand but by your own, like you wanted. I will foresee that you will be your own demise, Caroline." The queer wind seemed to stop at Bane's words.

"It's _Carol_."

He kicked the side stand that held the bike in place, "Come, Caroline."

The most deadest man in Gotham had said her name, twice. The way he pronounced it made her body seize with tension, "Go to hell." She spat through her clenched jaw.

"Oh my dear, but that would be just like going home."

"Your little friend shouldn't have left so soon, seeing as though you have no gun with you, there's nothing stopping me from running away."

"I'd enjoy seeing you try to run from me, Caroline but you are mistaken, for when I catch you, I won't need a gun to kill you, snapping your neck with my hands will have the same effect as a bullet."

"That's only if you catch me."

"Testing yourself is not wise, little one, your experiment will end in failure."

Speechless, she bit down on her back teeth at the horrendous threat. It was obviously impossible for her to out run a motorcycle, "I'm not getting on that thing."

"If you insist on not doing it the easy way, I shall tie your body to the back of the bike and carry you like an animal."

"Like you did to those poor hostages at the bank." Caroline's eyes were blazing with mischievous pain.

"Exactly, my dear." His eyes lifted as if he was excited that she was familiar with his tactics.

Bane eerily became amused at her lusty sense of will, being so close to her, he could finally fully capture her elegant face. Stains of light brown hair landscaped her face. Her fair skin looked sickly pale, making her miserable, large dark brown eyes appeared to shine from her slight round face. Her blush colored chubby cheeks seemed soft to touch. She wasn't anything special yet, she was uniquely something to look at.

Caroline was like an alluring doll that had been left out in the filthy streets by a careless child; someone had brutally ruined her.

"I offered to take my own life, what makes you think _you_ killing me would make a difference." She wisely reminded him.

The bike suddenly vibrated loudly with life, "Because you don't want to die," Caroline forgot how to breathe as Bane talked, "if you did, you would have been running by now."

Leaves flew in the air from the neighboring wind as others slid against the ground, making loud crunching sounds. Caroline knew she had to choose right then and there: listen to him or be killed. She didn't want to be murdered by Bane, she didn't want to give him the joy of killing her. Making up her mind, Caroline took her warm hands out from her pockets, allowing the cold wicked wind to do its harm.

Her brow furrowed, the first settle step she took, she wasn't sure if she moved at all, it was small and unpredicted.

_Oh God_.

Gravity was against her. Balancing her weight onto one leg, she swiftly copied Bane's earlier action and got on to the tall bike. It felt abnormal, she had never ridden on a motorcycle before, she couldn't position herself in the center as easily as he did, luckily Bane held the bike in place as she bobbled around aimlessly. The contemporary vibrations from the bike made her gasp, it felt like it zapped through her nerves.

Her feet dangled down, she couldn't feel the ground anymore. The metal parts on the side of the bike poked her legs.

She became puzzled as to where to place her small hands, she left them on the warm, metal heart of the bike. Bane leaned forward to grasp the steady handle bars, as he did his chest contacted with her back. Caroline leaned forward as well, trying to keep her distance from him as much as humanly possible.

"I suggest you grab the handle bars now." Bane impatiently commanded.

Rolling her feisty eyes with sassy hatred, Caroline unglued her now dry hands from the bike and wary putting them beside Bane's. The way he powerfully held onto the handle bars made his hands flatten significantly, making them double the size of hers. Bane lifted his feet onto the foot rest; the motorcycle went forward. Caroline screamed as it catch her off guard. The woman squeezed the handles for dear life as the muffler spat out with force, pushing the bike faster.

"Stop, for God sake's slow down!" Caroline fiercely yelled, shutting her eyes from fast the wind.

"You mustn't show fear, yet." He defiantly reminded her.

It became cold once again as the light rain resumed from its short break, it fell down on the two like pebbles, seeping through their clothing. The empty roads were slippery and the lack of sun vanquished the ability of sight. Caroline leaned back foolishly against his rigid vest that sheltered his chest, she knew he was more of a source protection then anything else around her.

Bane could feel her juvenilely shake, and her heart beating as fast as a humming bird's wings, he wanted nothing more to break her pure soul, to show her how simple it was for someone like him to destroy something so_ innocent._


	3. Chapter 3: Caged

**Chapter 3: Caged. **

**In The Land Of Treachery **

**By: LiveWild**

**So sorry for the long wait!**

**Thank you so much for the 12 favorites and 45 followers and many review that this story has reserved! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story! **

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Once the beast of a bike quickly silenced it's roaring and the two took a never ending trip up the wide stairs, Caroline bafflingly found herself surrounded by four, white colored walls with dark wooden floors.

The active apartment building was overpopulated with Bane's loyal soldiers, every corner Caroline turned she saw either a man or woman in possession of a dangerous loaded gun. The leery new faces that she came across would stare joylessly at her, the men and women of Bane were oddly fascinated by her. Some of their wicked eyes even mysteriously widened at the very sight of her. Caroline's beaming presence was odd to them, to see should a pure woman in the hands of Bane was abnormal.

As soon as she stepped foot into the chosen, empty apartment, Bane released the burning grip he had on her fragile wrist, he felt like if he held onto her hand harder, her bones would eventually snapped.

_How delicate_.

His meaty hands fell to his side. As soon as she was set free, Caroline impolitely stepped away from him, hoping to get a better look at the place she was forced to call home.

Everything around her felt untouched, as if she was the first one to come across this room. It appeared descent, a large living room area with a coffee table, a love seat and a pull out couch that was coated with fine black leather. If it wasn't for the crucial fact that Bane was irritably standing beside her, Caroline would have actually admitted that she felt mildly comfortable in the plain apartment.

Turning her inelastic head slightly, she began calmly scanning the room, in the processes, Caroline spotted a marble theme kitchen that was to the far left with a matching table. To think, Gotham's worst nightmare was staying in such a nice place while nearly no one in the city had a place to call their own.

Bane began moving behind her predatorily, his breathing helped her map out where his exact location was.

She noticed an elevator in the middle of the room as well.

She felt like a tortured animal, an animal that was being locked into a suffocating cage.

Caroline rested her tongue on the roof of her mouth before she chose to speak up, "You got me into the apartment, now what?"

She looked bizarrely at Bane, wanting nothing more than a truthful answer.

The vast man that she watched with vigilant eyes began walking to the opposite side of the room, the way he walked made it seem that ever step he made was carefully planned. His visible, upper face wrinkled, the way it did when he smiled.

His mask hissed from his breathing, "Why must you rush into things? I much rather stand here a bit longer and watch the helplessness in your eyes."

Caroline's spooked, pale face was unreadably blank, "What man enjoys seeing pain?" She stated, trying to avoid showing any sights of sadness that leaked through her eyes.

"The same man who has the power to destroy your beloved city."

Caroline's willful eyes twitched with unmanageable hatred. She brushed a loose strains of hair behind her numb ear as she simply placed her flat hand out in front of her vision. Her hand was shaking; she watched mindfully at the way her own hand moved. Was she really this worried?

Pulling her hand to the warmth of her chest, Caroline announced, "This isn't my city anymore, this isn't even _Gotham_."

She was too stubborn for his liking, it always made him want to chuckle, "You merely hate this city because I control it."

She faintly shook her head.

The way his muscles clenched from his movements made Caroline wonder if he would brutally hurt her. If he didn't sincerely intend to rape her, maybe he wanted to beat her to death, beat her till her skin was nothing but black and blue. He was trying to manipulate her, she bit hard down on her teeth stubbornly.

Without warning, Bane began heading toward the door, before leaving the mindless girl alone, he spoke humorlessly, "This will be the equivalent of a home for you, you will be sheltered here until the time comes."

Her head felt like it was spinning. Caroline glared at him from afar, suddenly feeling out of breath, "The time for what?"

"For us to die of course. You thought I came to Gotham to bring it joy?"

Her mouth molded to an 'O' shape, Caroline couldn't find the words to speak. This man was mad! She shivered, "I'm not going to die."

His full coat that covered the sides of face made reading his rare emotions difficult, upon biting her lip, Caroline stepped backwards in retreat. Bane talked with his deep, intimating voice, "You're blinded by denial, my girl. Your anger is just the fuel to the upcoming fire."

Upcoming fire?

His impulsive voice was like a musical bass, it pounding powerfully through her very core.

Allowing his wildly spoken words to sink deep into her, Caroline crossed her arms; her coat was still damp from the previous rain they had ridden through.

Having been lost in thought, Caroline was unaware that Bane had made his way towards her. Her icy veins were frozen with madness, upon each footstep he took, the more she wanted to convince herself to run. She wanted to run, run away into the lost, patronized streets of Gotham in search of another way to free her enslaved father and the other men in uniform.

Her father. That's what go her into this inescapable mess, but she still had no regrets of attempting to save him.

The reeking of his hot breath on her face caused her to skid to a stop, whirling her head to face him.

Caroline wanted to say nothing, she wanted to silence to be endless, she didn't want to give Bane the power to play with her feelings, all she wanted was to go home even though home didn't exist anymore. She felt like an underestimated child. Her aching throat felt like it was set on fire, stumbling through her thoughts she bit her lip harshly, "I'm not in denial," she narrowed her determined eyes, "I have faith."

He looked down at her; her chin was held up obnoxiously high. The way his unsettling eyes examined her made her feel like she was melting from his gray eyes. Her behavior came as a surprise to him, he had expected her to act upon his words differently. Bane was use to having other submit to him quickly and willingly yet, the troubling woman in front of him was a fighter.

Luckily, Bane enjoy challenges.

She smelled like rain; muddy and minty.

He sealed a thunderous flash in his gray eyes, "You do, for now but I will break you. I'll will show you: when one has the ability to take away faith, just proves that faith doesn't exist."

"This city may be at your misery but I'm not. Just because you got me here in this damn apartment doesn't mean anything!" Her fists clenched and unclenched.

Foolish woman, how naive.

"Is that what you think, my dear? You can do nothing, without me, you won't survive."

Was he joking? She had survived the streets of Gotham with much less than him, she could live without him no problem.

"I have been stripped of my home and money, I've been raped and taken from my father. I've lived of the streets along with criminals you set free! I _will_ survive with or without you, just watch me." Having enough of him, Caroline turned with a swift of her heels and proceeded to the first room she saw. Her aching heart began to beat abnormally as it was known to be able to do. Fresh, hot tears swam down her damp cheeks till they reached her chin.

_I cannot show weakness._

_I will not die. I will not._

* * *

Once Bane made his way down the stairs, Barsad had spotted him before anyone else. His stumping feet attacked the weaken wood on the stairs. With a gun in hand and a hefty black purse in another, Barsad's ears seemed to point up as Bane spoke his name crispy.

"Yes, sir?"

"I was told you have the girl's belongings. Give them to me." Bane calmly ordered after looking at his loyal soldier's dirty hands.

Acting upon Bane's demand, Barsad lifted the feminine purse upward; he caused a tolerable strain to his wrist due to the weight, "We have found a bottle of Vasotec."

As soon as Bane zipped open the bag, he saw the small yellow medicine bottle laying lifelessly on top of her chaotic belongings that were tangled beneath. The woman had makeup everywhere yet, Bane couldn't detect her using any of her face. He pinched the plastic, half empty bottle with his fingers, the prescribed medication had her full name on it; _Caroline M. Dollas. _The color of the triangular pills camouflaged with the bottle, as he turned the label around, he learned that she was ordered to take thirty grams by mouth once a day.

"Vasotec. Drugs for the heart," Bane informed a curious Basard who was unfamiliar with the medicine. Vasotec was a powerful drugs, it was to be used for strengthening a weak and unhealthy heart. What exactly was wrong with Caroline? Without hesitation, Bane dropped her opened bag onto the marble ground where it exploded with her personal items, "so the girl has a flaw."

Bane couldn't help but smiled as he rotated the bottle around, listening to the small pills as the slammed onto the walls that held them.

He was anxious, anxious to see when the young woman would come crawling to him for help. If she indeed to live, she was going to be at his misery whether she liked it or not.


End file.
